Various embodiments of the invention relate to an automatic focusing method for a camera, and more particularly, to an automatic focusing method for a camera in which a focus motor is driven step by step and a position of a focus lens at which the largest focus value proportionate to an amount of high frequency components in an image signal is found.
For automatic focusing of a conventional camera, for example, a digital camera, such as Digimax 350SE manufactured by Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd., a user has to press a shutter button and the user has to select either a macro mode or a normal mode.
The macro mode is appropriate when a subject is within a first distance, for example, 30 cm through 80 cm, from a focus lens. If the macro mode is set by a user, automatic focusing is performed in a region within the first distance. The normal mode is appropriate when the subject is beyond the first distance, for example, 80 cm through infinity, from the focus lens. If the normal mode is set by the user, automatic focusing is performed in a region beyond the first distance.
In such a conventional automatic focusing method described above, users set the macro mode or the normal mode. However, most users may have difficulty deciding whether the macro mode or the normal mode is appropriate for a current position of a subject. If a user fails to set a mode properly, the accuracy of automatic focusing may be undermined.